Snapjaw Battalion
Snapjaw Battalion started as a sub-division of Tartok that acts much like a traditional wolf pack. Although it appears the larger Tartok pack has been disbanded with the disappearance of Siku - the main Alpha - her lifestyle and beliefs are still embraced by Snapjaw Battalion. Currently they inhabit a rocky unwelcoming mountain range and small valley. Current Roster Lifestyle Snapjaw Battalion is largely a traditional pack, meaning the roster is comprised mostly of the offspring of the First pair. Occasionally they do accept outsiders or unrelated wolves, particularly when the pack is low in numbers. They also behave in a very primal way, relying on body language more than words for communication. In keeping with Tartok tradition, pups are usually given Inuit names. Body Language Snapjaw wolves communicate using body language. This also includes posturing as a way to display rank, emotion, and the primary method of challenging and asserting ones authority with minimal risk. Mating Rituals As a rule, only the First pair may mate. Mating usually occurs at the end of winter/early spring so the pups are born in good weather. Mating season is also a time of sexual frustration for boys, and the time when most female wolves choose to disperse to find mates of their own. Dispersal Wolves Wolves leaving the pack is common to prevent inbreeding, plus it is a way to spread the bloodline which is considered extremely important to SJB wolves. Dispersal is not to be confused with abandonment, the biggest distinction being a wolf who leaves for a reason other than wanting to start a family. Recruits & Banished If an outside wolf does join SJB, they begin at the bottom of the totem pole and must work their way up. A recruit who abandons the pack is normally considered a deserter and banished from returning. Naming Ceremony Young wolves are given their names when they are born, but newer recruits, once they have been with the pack for a year, earn a new name similar to the others. The wolf is henceforth refered to by that name. 'Upbringing' After mating, the First female will leave the main clearing to whelp her pups in private where she may raise them alone and instill in them proper ideals and behaviors. She will only leave to join the pack after a hunt to feed and come back to her den. When the pups are old enough, around 3 or 4 months, they are introduced to the pack. 'Natural Survival' In Snapjaw there are no healers and these wolves do not rely on plants or any sort of alliances or strategies to heal one another in the event of injury. Wolves who are injured in hunting or fighting are tended to as any other member of the pack, however, whether or not they survive the injuries is entirely determined by their own health and plain old luck. 'Bonding Rituals' Bonding is extremely important in maintaining pack harmony. Other than playing and running together, the pack will often engage in a community howl and almost always hunts as a group. Hierarchy Hierarchy within the pack is based on seniority and dominance. Although fights seldom happen due to the obvious risks of injury and need for healthy able bodied wolves to hunt and provide for the pack, spars and posturing spars are still a regular occurrence particularly in younger wolves as they establish themselves in the hierarchy. Ranks are normally tiered with no jobs attached to them since every wolf is considered a hunter, scout, and warrior and responsible for these things. Ranks are recognized in a very abstract sense. Basically each wolf knows where they stand with one another without need for words. Posturing is how they enforce their rank or confirm their submission to superiors. When its necessary, a numerical order is applied although generally "First" and "Last" are ranks that dictate the Alpha and Omega of the pack. Gender plays no part in ranking. History Snapjaw Battalion was started by Siku, the Alpha Female of Tartok, who wished to expand her lines and ideals. She appointed her loyal companion Sevendeath as head of this operation. Sevendeath had met Siku during his travels after he left Doutaini, a land of magic, when his son tried to kill him. He adopted her lifestyle with ease and became a trusted companion. He was specifically chosen as "First" to lead Snapjaw. The pack took residence in a range of mountains a few territories away, and despite a fairly decent start, recruits dwindled. Those who remained built up the foundation, and though they never became a large pack Snapjaw was never without its members. Sevendeath managed to mate with a female and bare his own offspring who continued to lead the pack once he died of old age in the frigid mountains. 'Present Day' Snapjaw is still a relatively small and secluded pack run by Sevendeath's son Aupaluk, and his mate Fiht. The pack currently consists of their children, with a new generation on the horizon.